The present invention comprises a new and distinct variety of Syringa, hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘SMNJRPI’. This new Syringa was developed through a breeding program in Grand Haven, Mich. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new Syringa reblooming varieties in different flower colors. ‘SMNJRPI’ is an internal advanced selection from an in-house breeding program. The seed parent is an unnamed, unpatented proprietary breeding line. The pollen parent is unidentified as the new variety was produced through an open pollination breeding program. The open pollination resulting in the new variety was made in 2010. Selection of the new variety was made during 2013.
The first asexual propagation of ‘SMNJRPI’ was carried out during 2013 by softwood cuttings at a commercial nursery in Grand Haven, Mich. ‘SMNJRPI’ has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics through successive asexual propagations. Multiple generations have been asexually propagated, with the new variety characteristics reproduced true to type.